Pneumatic systems



A. FREEMAN Jan. 23, 1968 PNEUMATI C SYSTEMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 27, 1966 CON TROL 50x we ROOM ROOM 5 BOTTOM STOCK MAKING ROOM ROOM CLICK/MG CLOSl/V ROOM Jan. 23, 1968 Filed July A. FREEMAN PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS 27, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IAAAA v w V? 23 v Jan. 23, 1968 Filed July 27. 1966 A. FREEMAN PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS "Fig .6,

IZI/I/I/III/I/I/I/l///I/I/I/I 5 Sheets-Sheet s United States Patent 3,365,146 PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS Alfred Freeman, 94 Orlingburg Road, Isham, Northamptonshire, England Filed July 27, 1966, Ser. No. 568,327 4 Claims. (Cl. 243-4) In general terms, the present invention concerns an information transfer system, or, more specifically, a system for passing information in physical form rapidly between locations which are remote from one another. An object of the invention has been to provide inexpensive and versatile equipment which can be easily installed in situations of widely-differing layout to set up a system for transferring the information from one point to another.

A further object is an arrangement whereby the transfer shall take place very rapidly.

In morematerial terms the invention is suitable for use in a situation in which it is desirable to report, say, the progress of a multiphase manufacturing operation to a central, control point. Although this aspect will hereinafter be described, it will be manifest to the reader of the remainder of this specification that the system in general, and specific apparatus devised to implement it, can be used in many varied environments without departing from the invention.

In its barest essentials the system involves the use of a hollow collecting ocntainer comprising at least one despatch device, a suction source, flexible tubing conmeeting said suction source to said collecting container and connecting the latter to the despatch device so as to provide a suction line from this device to the suction source through the collecting chamber, and information carriers in the form of cartridges which will pass with an allround clearance, through said tubing from the despatch device to the collecting chamber under suction applied from said suction source.

Thus, to take the simplest case of a system in which a collecting container, e.g. at a control location, is to be fed with information from an outlying despatch device, an information-carrying cartridge appropriately introduced into the suction line at this device will be conveyed at high speed to the collecting container to deliver its message.

In accordance with a feature of this arrangement, the collecting container incorporates a cartridge-collecting box which is connected in the suction line but forms a trap for a cartridge arriving from the despatch device, said collecting box further having means for breaking the suction therein, and means to provide access from the exterior for the removal of trapped cartridges.

The collecting box will advantageously be of substantial volume (in relation to the volume per unit length of the tubing), so that the suctional pull on a cartridge will diminish considerably when it arrives in the box, allowing the cartridge to be deposited in the latter. The box preferably will have an access opening, with a pivoted closure flap, through which cartridges can be removed, for example for extracting messages carried by these cartridges. The box will then also have an orifice, controlled by a flap or other valve, which can be operated to admit air from the exterior into the box to break the suction when it is required to uncover the cartridge-extracting opening. In addition the box may be provided with means for automatically counting the number of arriving cartridges. A preferred embodiment of master box with these features will be described below.

It is also to be understood that the transmission of cartridges between the collecting container and the despatch device may be two-way, so that, for example, cartridges emptied of information may be returned from the collecting container to the despatch device for re-use. In this event a hollow container, which may be of a similar nature to the collecting box (and is hereinafter called a despatch container) may be sited at the despatch pcint and connected through flexible tubing to a convenient loading device on, or in the vicinity of, the collecting box.

Advantageously, moreover, the connection between the despatch container and collecting container (despatch line), and that between the loading device and the despatch container (return line) will be connected, in effect, in pneumatic series with the suction source and both served from the latter. This involves, of course, the use of an intrusion device, near or on the despatch device, which will allow cartridges to be introduced into the despatch line to the collecting container, but which can normally be isolated so that there will be no interference with the suction flow through this part of the system. Again, a preferred embodiment of such a device is described below.

Although, to assist explanation, the above bare outline of the system has referred to one despatch device or despatch container only, it will be appreciated that the system may have a number of these, e.g. at different working localities, connected to a common collecting container and thus able to report to a central informationcollecting point. All the despatch lines concerned may, in this arrangement, be served by the single suction source so that they will, in effect, be in pnaumtaic parallel. In this common collection container system, all the despatch lines may open in common into the receiving chamber in the collecting box, in which case it may be of advantage to provide an individual automatic counter to record the number of incoming cartridge from each despatch line.

In some instances, it is preferred to use a number of centre, one serving each despatch device, for example when there is heavy trafiic from outlying despatch stations and it is inconvenient to interrupt this in breaking the suction to allow frequent access to the collecting box.

As will already be clear, the equipment provided by this invention lends itself to quick installation and adaptability to most varied circumstances. The flexible tubing can, for example, be of rubber or plastics material, and easily run round corners, disposed in out-ofthe-way places, conformed to inclines, passed through holes in walls, and so on. The cartridges will be designed vis-a-vis the tubing so as to provide a small clearance around the cartridge which will allow it 'to travel in effect surrounded by a sheath of air. Desirably there is a small enough clearance to enable the application of suction to an optimum area of the leading end of the cartridge commensurate with absence of retarding and disorientating contact between the cartridge and the wall of the tubing. By a similar token, the cartridge is made of small length to allow it to negotiate even tight bends along the tubing without contact, or significant contact, with the wall of the latter.

In accordance with a special feature of the invention, the cartridge is provided around its exterior with an annular rib or narrow collar which will be a sliding snug fit within the flexible tubing and will thus (a) assist initial centring of the cartridge when it is loaded into the tubing, and (12) provide maximum cross-sectional area of the application of suction without materially increasing frictional contact between cartridge and tubing and without obstructing changes in direction of the cartridge over bends in the tubing.

In a preferred form, a cartridge is a short substantially cylindrical tube of metal, plastics, or other rigid or semi- 3 rigid material, closed at one end (leading end) to provide the area over which the suction will be applied, and open at the other to allow message slips or the like to be rolled up into the hollow interior of the cartridge.

In other forms, the cartridge may be devised to hold a coded message, or itself be marked with a coded message, to be read by scanning means in the system.

The meet the equipment described above will now be further explained in reference to a progress control system, itself thought to be novel, in a shoe manufactory, this system being illustrated in the accompnaying drawings. In these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the layout of the parts of the system.

FIGURE 2 is a partial front view of the master collecting equipment at the control centre.

FIGURE 3 is a cross section through one of the collecting boxes constituting the equipment of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a similar cross section through one of the despatch boxes in the system.

FIGURE 5 is another diagram given to illustrate the method of communication between a despatch box and a corresponding collecting box, and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a form of message-carrying cartridge used in the system.

The system illustrated in the drawings and now to be described has been designed to give a progress control centre an overall picture and detailed record of the exact position at any moment of Work in hand in the various stages of shoe manufacture in the plant.

The stages chosen for this illustration are the clicking room (i.e. that in which the shoe upper blanks are cut out), the closing room (in which the uppers are initially formed on lasts), the bottom stock room (i.e. that at which the bottoms are attached to the uppers produced in the closing room), the making room (in which the shoes are finished and removed from the lasts), and the boxing room in which the shoes are boxed for despatch. Each of these rooms is equipped with a despatch box, which are diagrammatically indicated with the reference 1 in FIGURE 1, and these are connected through flexible tubing to a common control container, designated 2, at the progress control centre, which may conveniently be in a separate oflice away from the workrooms.

In this particular instance the common control container consists of a bank of five collecting boxes mounted side by side on a common stand as illustrated in FIGURE 2. Each of these boxes 3 (see FIGURE 3) is made of sheet metal and of a quadrilateral shape in cross section, and the bank of boxes is mounted on a common frame 4 to form the main collecting container. Each box 3 has a sloping front face 5 and an inclined base 6, and is provided at the front with lateral flanges 7. The boxes 3 are arranged side by side on the frame 4 with the edges of these flanges abutting one another so that, in effect, the front of the container presents an overall flush, inclined face behind which the hollow chambers of the boxes are disposed with the side wall of adjacent boxes spaced from one another.

At its upper face, each collecting box 3 is provided with a window 8 of methyl methacrylate which allows for inspection of the interior by an attendant, and at its rear Wall the box communicates through a tubular section 9 with a tubular duct 10 common to all the boxes in the main container and itself connected at one end through a pipe union 11 and flexible tubing 13 to the suction side of a compressor or pump 12. A restrictor 14 is provided to control the volume of air flow between each tubular section 9 and duct 10 and being adjustable by a screw threaded control 15 at the rear of the frame 4 of the container.

The inclined front Wall 5 of each box is, moreover, furnished with an access opening 16 normally closed by a hinged closure flap 17. This in its turn is formed with an orifice 18 controlled by a valve in the form of a further A flap 19 which is hinged to the access flap 17, the flap 1? having a pad 20 for sealing application over orifice 1S.

Secured to the upper part of the wall 6 of each collecting box is a tubular union piece 21 to which flexible tubing 22 from the corresponding despatch box is connected. This tubing which is conveniently of a flexible synthetic plastics material, e.g. nylon, passes through the rear wall of the frame 4. Disposed on a side wall of each box, moreover, is a microswitch 23 arranged with the trip blade 24 thereof in register with the opening 25 through which the union piece 21 communicates with the interior of the box.

Formed externally of each box 3 in one of the side flanges 7 thereof is a loading opening 2s for the return of cartridges to the corresponding despatch box, this opening leading to a rigid pipe section 27 extending rearwards from the inclined front face 5 of the box externally of the chamber of the latter. Here again, the pipe section 27 is connected to flexible tubing 2% which is destined to return cartridges to the corresponding despatch box.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the form of the despatch box at the individual outlying stations and it will be observed that in many respects it is similar to the individual collecting boxes at the control centre. Thus each despatch box 1 comprises a shee metal enclosure 29, mounted in a frame 3%, with an inspection window 31 and an access opening 32 controlled by a pivoted flap 33 which, like the flaps 17, has a vacuum control orifice 34 covered by a lisp valve 35. The enclosure 29 is furnished at its rear part with a cartridge inlet opening 36 leading to the other end of the flexible tubing 28. A bafile plate 36 is disposed opposite the opening 37 to present an impact surface for arriving cartridges.

Each box is, moreover, provided with a cartridge loading opening 38 arranged externally of the enclosure 2? in a flange-forming part of the front wall of the latter, but in this instance the opening 33 is normally closed by a pivoted flap 35 The pipe section it leading to opening 38 is formed with a lateral opening 41 communicating with the interior of enclosure 29.

Referring now to FIGURE 6 this illustrates, on an enlarged scale, a typical section of tlexi le tubing such as 22 or 28, with a cartridge 42 passing therethrough. It will be seen that this cartridge is somewhat of bullet form, being hollow and cylindrical with a closed snub nose end 53. it is provided adjacent its rear and open end with a collar which is a substantially sliding fit Within the tubing 22, 28 with a clearance of about 0.1". It will also be observed that there is only a small all round celarance between the remainder of the main body of the cartridge 42. and the tubing within which it travels to provide the air sheath referred to above.

A supply of cartridges 42 will be available for use in the system. In addition there will be a supply of tickets (see below) for reporting to the control centre from the various outlying workrooms.

When the system is in operation, the pump 12 will be run continuously to induce suction, through duct 10, in each of the collecting boxes 3. This suction effect is further propagated to each of the despatch boxes 1 through the lines 22, and to the loading openings 26 through lines 2%. In other words there will be a permanently-applied series suction circuit through each despatch and collecting box pair as diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 5.

An operative in one of th outlying rooms, wishing to report the onward despatch of a batch of work, will place the relevant message (see below) in a cartridge, lift the flap 39 at the despatch and drop the cartridge in the opening 38 of the box concerned, as a result of which the cartridge will be propelled rapidly through the line 22 to the corresponding collecting box 3. On entering the box 3 the cartridge will strike the microswitch blade 24, whereby an impulse will be transmitted to an electronic counting unit, designated 45 in FIGURE 3, mounted in the frame 4 of the collecting container. This in turn can be arranged to signal the number of units counted at an indicator 46 disposed on the frame 4 above the collecting box concerned.

The controller will, moreover, require to collect the actual work ticket, hence the provision for access to the box 3 for recovering a cartridge, or an accumulated collection of cartridges. To enable flap 17 to be lifted for this purpose it is necessary to break the suction which is at this time prevailing within the box 3. To this end the attendant merely has to lift the flap 19 and so open the orifice 18 to the exterior, whereafter the flap 17 can be lifted and the cartridge or cartridges taken out. It will be observed that a loop 47 on the flap 17 caters for a combined lifting of flap 19 followed by raising of flap 17.

To send back cartridges (with or without messages) to an outlying despatch station, the attendant only has to place the cartridge(s) in the appropriate loading opening 26. The suction exerted in the series line from the pump 12, through the corresponding collecting box 3, line 22, despatch box 1 and line 28 (the flap 39 being closed) will be effective to pull the cartridge into the despatch box 1.

As regards the tickets used in the system there may be a supply of these each divided up into detachable portions for identifying destinations of the work, and with subsidiary check tickets associated with each detachable portion. These may be marked with a number identifying the particular batches of work and associated with a common number on a summary chart which is maintained at the control centre. Then, as a particular batch of work proceeds through its successive stages, portions of the associated ticket will accompany it to indicate its next destination and the operations still to be performed on it. At each stage, and when the particular batch of work has been completed, an inspector will detach the corresponding stage check ticket and this will be rolled up in a cartridge and placed in the loading device at that particular despatch point.

In this way, cartridges with their messages will be arriving continually at the main collector thus providing a minute to minute report on the progress of all work in the plant. In fact the message tickets will advantageously be themselves apertured so that they can be hooked on a row of hooks on a control board. This board may be provided with, say, a vertical column of pockets each of which is destined to receive one of the summary charts referred to above and with horizontal rows of hooks corresponding to each such pocket. It will thus give a picture at any time of the instantaneous progress of the work in all departments.

I claim:

1. In an information-transfer system in which information carriers in the form of cartridges are propelled by suction through communicating tubing from a despatch device to a collecting container, the improvement including a plurality of collecting containers in the form of holiow boxes disposed side-by-side at a control center each said collecting chamber being in pneumatic parallel to a common suction source, and wherein each said collecting box is pneumatically connected to a despatch device at an outlying station, the said collecting boxes having a pivoted closure flap for access to arriving cartridges and a valvecontrolled orifice for breaking the suction therein to enable said flap to be opened.

2. An information transfer system according to claim 1 in which a cartridge loading means is associated with each of said cartridge-collecting boxes and is connected through flexible tubing to one of said despatch devices, said despatch device also incorporating a hollow container, and wherein the connecting tube from said loading means opens into said hollow despatch container so that the loading device, despatch container, collecting container, and suction source are connected in pneumatic series.

3. An information-transfer system according to claim 1, in which the collection box is equipped with means for automatically counting arriving cartridges.

4. An information-transfer system according to claim 1, in which each cartridge has an annular rib or collar which is a fit with a small annular clearance within said tubing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,666,293 2/ 1928 Cowley 243-23 1,726,677 9/ 1929 Olson 243-9 1,819,307 8/ 1931 Stoelzel 243-28 1,833,873 11/1931 Jennings 243-19 3,282,531 11/ 1966 Stewart 243-19 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,379,688 10/ 1964 France.

18,435 5/1907 Germany.

EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner. H. C. HORNSBY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN INFORMATION-TRANSFER SYSTEM IN WHICH INFOMRATION CARRIERS IN THE FORM OF CARTRIDGES ARE PROPELLED BY SUCTION THROUGH COMMUNICATING TUBING FROM A DESPATCH DEVICE TO A COLLECTING CONTAINER, THE IMPROVEMNT INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF COLLECTING CONTAINERS IN THE FORM OF HOLLOW BOXES DISPOSED SIDE-BY-SIDE AT A CONTROL CENTER EACH SAID COLLECTING CHAMBER BEING IN PNEUMATIC PARALLEL TO A COMMON SUCTION SOURCE, AND WHEREIN EACH SAID COLLECTING BOX IS PNEUMATICALLY CONNECTED TO A DESPATCH DEVICE AT AN OUTLYING STATION, THE SAID COLLECCTING BOXED HAVING A PIVOTED CLOSURE FLAP FOR ACCESS TO ARRIVING CARTRIDGES AND A VALVECONTROLLED ORIFICE FOR BREAKING THE SUCTION THEREIN TO ENABLE SAID FLAP TO BE OPENED. 